Iconic former Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu chose to celebrate his 52nd birthday with the Mighty Warriors and showered the Women's senior national team with goodies.
The Zimbabwe, Coventry City and Highlanders legend is expecting the Mighty Warriors to gift him with victory over Angola as a reciprocal pleasantry for his birthday.
The Mighty Warriors plunge into battle against the Angolans in a CAF Women's 2026 Africa Cup of Nations first round, second leg qualifier at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, this afternoon (kick-off 3pm).
Zimbabwe will troop into battle at the famed home of South African Premiership giants Mamelodi Sundowns on the back foot after losing the reverse fixture 2-1 in Luanda last Thursday.
They will need to overturn that deficit and get an aggregate win over the Palancas Negras to secure a slot to face Malawi in the final round of the qualifiers, where the winner will punch their ticket to the WAFCON, scheduled for Morocco next year.
The Mighty Warriors could not have asked for a more decorated soldier of Zimbabwean football battles than Ndlovu, who represented the country at the 2004 and 2006 Nations Cup tournaments.
And the legendary Ndlovu yesterday took time to celebrate his birthday with them before handing the Mighty Warriors some goodies to cheer their spirits as they prepare for this must-win fixture.
Ndlovu also pledged to secure tickets for the fans willing to watch the game.
"In football, we do everything, but ultimately, we need players. That's where credit should always go.
"Thank you so much, guys; I really appreciate you. We need to celebrate you, our Queens," Ndlovu said.
"I would say our mothers. I have brought my wife, obviously, to celebrate you on my birthday.
"I just want to say thank you so much for the love. Tomorrow (today) is a special day for you and all of us. We are here to support you guys. You are down but not out.
"To change this, you should have faith. When you have faith, then you have hope, and then you can conquer. So, let's have hope, let's have faith in ourselves, and keep believing.
"We already see development coming through. We have seen the girls living in a better place. Men are not different from ladies because they are both footballers."
The former Coventry star is the brand ambassador for one of ZIFA's all-weather partners in terms of the Zimbabwean companies based in South Africa -- Zororo-Phumulani.
The company, some of whose executives accompanied Ndlovu, helped put together yesterday's time out with the Mighty Warriors, and the former Zimbabwe captain lauded them, Zororo-Phumulani, for their efforts.
"I would like to thank Zororo-Phumulani for everything they do for our sport. I am proud to be their brand ambassador."
With Ndlovu rooting for the Mighty Warriors, their coach, Sithethelelwe "Kwinji 15" Sibanda, has demanded that the girls be sharp in the attacking third.
The Mighty Warriors were blunt the last time out, and their failure to put away the chances they fashioned out ultimately proved to be their greatest undoing, as the clinical Angolans made sure of the result by scoring the only two opportunities that they got.
"Looking at the match, we are taking it from the first leg. We just had to make sure that we psychologically prepared them (players) because everything else is still pretty much the same.
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"We have tried to address a lot of areas. The most critical aspect has been on utilising our chances," said Sibanda.
"We did everything else (in the first match), including creating the chances and getting all those entries into the area, but we lacked a bit of composure. But hopefully we will be able to do well in terms of improving in that aspect.
"We just hope that everyone shares the same positivity we are carrying right from the training ground."
Sibanda could make a slight change to the team that started in the first leg last week, with Black Rhinos mainstay Christabel Katona expected to take Danai Bhobho's place.
Zimbabwe XI:
Lindiwe Magwede, Nobukhosi Ncube, Alice Moyo, Egness Tumbare, Sheila Antonio, Daisy Kaitano, Emmaculate Msipa, Christabel Katona, Ethel Chinyerere, Ruvimbo Mucherera, Rutendo Makore
